N.C. Senate hopeful faces payout

North Carolina Senate hopeful Greg Brannon, a Republican, will have to pay nearly $450,000 in the face of a civil lawsuit, a new report says.

According to the Charlotte Observer, a decision made this week stipulates that Brannon owes that money to two people who invested in a failed start-up to which he had ties. They filed the suit early last month and a jury later held him responsible for providing “misleading or false information,” the report said. Brannon said he would appeal the verdict, according to the newspaper.

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A spokesman for the candidate didn’t immediately respond to a request from POLITICO for comment.

Brannon is one of several candidates seeking the GOP nomination to take on Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) in November, with opponents including North Carolina House Speaker Thom Tillis. He has been endorsed by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), both tea party favorites.

The North Carolina Senate race is one of the pivotal races of the midterms, and could play a key role in determining which party controls the Senate.